Method of making containers



oct. 9,1945. D MAPES l 2,386,246v

' METHOD 6F NKING CONTAINERS I, Filed ,April 4; 1942 2 sheets-sneer 2- INVENTOR tively high pressures.

, from the container. erally known and referred to as compressed gas Patented Oct. 9|, 1945 I UNITED STATE s PATENT oFElcE (Cl. 2li-148.2)

6 Claims.

The present invention rela-tes to metal containers, and xnore particularly to a method of making metal containers, such as cylinders, or the like, adapted for storing iluid media under rela- 'Ihe containers with which the present invention is concerned, generally, comprise a substantially cylindrical or'spherical body, closed at one end and provided with a neck portion or shoulder and neck at the other end. The neck usually has an opening for receiving a valve, a plug provided with a closure, or similar means adapted to normally conne the pressure media in lthe contalner, and adapted to be opened or otherwise rendered effective to release the pressure media Such containers are gentanks or cylinders, or high pressure containers.

An object ofthe present invention is to provide an improved method of making containers of the, foregoing character.

. Another object is to provide a rapid, inexpensive method for forming the necks and shoulders of the containers` Another object is to provide a method of forming the necks and shoulders oi the containers `without inserting dies, roller or other tools into containers during the neck and shoulder forming operations.

Another object is to provide a method of thickening or reinforcing the necks and shoulders of the containers during the formation thereof.

A further object is to provide a method of simultaneously-forming the necks and shoulders in a pair of containers.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustratlve embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will' occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the 'invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and descriptionl and is shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specication, wherein:

Figure 1 is-an elevational View, partly in section, illustrating a pair of cylindrical shells attached together by an intermediate tubular member having the open ends of the shells attached thereto.

Figure 2 is an elevational view, -partly in section, illustrating the shells shown in-Figure l partlyy formed into containers.

. Figure 3 is an elevational view, partly in secl tion, illustrating the shells shown'in Figures 1 and 2 formed into a pair of containers detached from the intermediate member.

Figure 4--is an elevational view, partly in section, illustrating a pair of cylindrical shells at tached together at their open ends by a tubular member telescoped into the shells.

Figure 5 is an elevational View, partly in section, illustrating the shells shown in Figure 4 formed into a pair of containers.

Figure 6 is an elevational view, partly in section, illustrating a pair of cylindrical shells attached together at their open ends by a tubula member telescoped about they shells. I

Figure 'l is an elevational view, partly in section. illustrating the shells shown in 'Figure 6 formed into a pair of containers. K

Figure 8 is an elevational view, partly in section, illustrating a pair of shells attached together at their open ends -by a tubular member tele-y scoped into the shells and by a second tubular member telescoped about the shells.

Figure 9 is an elevational view, partly in section, illustratingthe shells shown in Figure 8 formed into'a pair of containers. y

In accordance with the invention, these objects may be accomplished by attaching the open ends of a pair of metal shells, which are closed at l the other end; forming a neck portion in each of the shells adjacent the point the shells are attached; and thereafter detaching the shells to provide a pair of containers.

l The open ends of the shells may be attached by welding or otherwise securing'them to an intermediate member. The intermediate member vmay have the open end of one of the shells welded to each end thereof or may be telescoped into or about the shells and positioned adjacent their open ends. Ii desired, a, member maybe telescoped into shells and a second member may be telescoped about the shells. In cases Where the intermediate or attaching members are in telescoping relation with the shells, the free ends of the shells may be Welded together.A

During the neck portion forming operations, orthe neck and shoulder forming operations, the portions of the shells adjacent the open ends thereof may be heated in' any suitable manner;v .to facilitate the forming operations. The neck portions may be formed simultaneously in a pair of shells by rotating the shellsand applying pressure radially inwardly by means of suitable rollers, spinning tools, or the like. The shells may be urged towards each other to prevent tools may be manipulated to thicken the metal shells at .the portions of the neck adjacent to and merging with the shoulder.

After the `forming operations have been completed, the shells may be detached by severing the weld at. the open ends of the shells or by cutting through the middle Aof the shell connecting members in aplane substantially perpendicular tothe longitudinal axis o'f the shells and the members. Y

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figures l, 4. Gland 8 thereof, there is shown a pair of substantially cylindrical shells or blanks I5, adapted to be formed into containers or cylinders for storing iluid media under pressure. One end I6 of eachvshell is closed and preferably is hemispherical inshape, and the other end I'i of each shell is open and is provided with an annular rim I8.

The shells may be formed by drawing or forging operations, or other suitable operations which single container by other methods. By spacing the shells apart by means of a tubular-member or collar` I9 spinning tools or rollers maybe more readily applied to both of the shells atthe same time to form necks and shoulders therein.

After a. neck and shoulder of a predetermined size and shape are formed in each of the shells,

the shells are detached from the tubular member to provide a pair'of containers .o1-cylinders 23,V

as shown in Figure 3. The shells may be severed at the weld or brazed junction by cutting or other operations which will effect separation of the shells. Thereafter the containers may be subjected to other desired nnishing operations.

Anotherjmethod of forming a pair of containers 23 'is' illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. As Vshown in Figure 4, one end of a substantially cylindrical tubular member 24 is telescoped a may be employed in the manufacture of shells adapted to be used for the purposes described herein. The shells may be formed of any suitable metal, such as iron or aluminum or their alloys, and are designed to be formed into containers adaptedto withstand relatively highV internal pressure. y

In Figure 1.a pair of` shells I5 is shown having their rims I8 attached or secured to the re spective ends of asubstantially cylindrical tubular member I9 having a desiredlength. The shells may be connected to the intermediate member Ii by welding, brazing or other suitable operations. If desired, the'connections between the shells and the member I9 may form a hermetic seal, whereby the air in the shells is i sealed therein. -The pair of shells, joined in the foregoing manner, is then placed in a lathe or similar machine for rotating the shells about their longitudinal axis. Each of the closed ends IS of the shells is placed in a suitable chuck (not shown), and one of the chucks may be rotated by suitable drive means and thevother chuck may rotate idly to serve as asupport. In addition, the shells may be supported at spaced points along their length by rollers or the like.

After a pair of shells (Figure l) has been placed in the'lat-he or the like, the shells are rotated at a desired speed and heat is applied thereto at the portions adjacent the previously open.

ends I1 to render the metal more readily'workable. Suitable rollers or other spinning or swaging tools are then applied to the heated portions to work the metal radially inwardly and begin the formation of a neck portion 'comprising a neck 20 and a shoulder 2l, as shown in Figure 2. During the neck and shoulder forming operation, pressure may be applied in an axial direcion to the closed ends of the shells to prevent elongation of the shells. The axial pressure may be suitably controlled and the effect thereof may be utilized in conjunction with the action of the rollers or spinning tools to slightly thicken the metal at the shoulders of the shells, for example,

desired distance into the open end of one of the shells I5 and the other end of the member 2li is telescoped the sam'e distance into the open end of the other shell I5. The tubular member 24 may be secured to the shells by welding or in any other suitable manner. The rims I8 of the shells may abut each other, and,I if desired, -may be secured by Welding.

Necks 20 and shoulders 2I may be formed in the shells by rotating the shells, heating them and applying rolling or spinning tools in substantially the same manner described `in connection with Figures 1, 2 and 3. After the formation of the necks and shoulders the shells are separated or severed at their rims and the tubular member 24 is cut ina plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shells, and at its midpoint, to provide a pair 'of containers 23A (Figure 5). The portion of the tubular member in the neck portion of each of the containers is integrally securedto the containers and serves to reinforce the necks and shoulders of the containers.

In Figures 6 and 7, a Amethod of forming a pair of containers or cylinders 23B is ill-ustrated, which differs from the method shown in Figures 4 and 5 in that a tubular member 25 is telescoped about each of the shells adjacent their onen ends. thinned out at 26 duringy the formation of the necks and shoulders of the container 23B so that it merges into the shoulders 2|.

In Figures 8 and 9, a method of forming a pair of containers or cylinders 23C isv illustrated, which combines the features of the method shown in Figures 4 and 5 and the -method shown in Figures 6 and 7; A tubular member 24 is telescoped into the open ends of the shells and a tubular member- 25 is telescoped about the shells adjacent the open ends thereof.

From the foregoing description it Will be seen, that the present invention provides an improved method of making containers or cylinders forv storing iluid media under pressure. By forming tle necks and shoulders in a pair of containers simultaneously, two containers are produced 'in about the same time in which one container can be provided with a neck and shoulder 'by other methods. Furthermore, the necks and shoulders can be accurately formed without creating strains in the metal or weakening the metal in some other Way.

In cases where connecting members are placed in telescoping relation with respect to the shells, the shells are reinforced during the heating and rolling or spinning operations to prevent the containers "from collapsing or being crushed ad- The tubular member 25 may be jacent the open ends thereof by the pressure of the radially inwardly applied rollers or the pressure at the closed ends of the shells in .an axial direction. The telescoping tubular members also serve to reinforce the finished containers and provide a collar adapted to be .threaded to receive a threaded plugor closure. The containers made in accordance' with the invention are rugged in construction and can readily withstand any rough usage to which they may be subjected.

As various changes lmay be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

I claim:

1. The method of making high pressure metal containers from cylindrical shells each having and said member to a diameter reducing operation to provide said pair with reinforced necks,.

and subjecting said reinforced necks to a severing operation to provide a pair of separated containers having reinforced necks.

4. The method of making high pressure metal containers from cylindrical shells having open ,vide a pair of separated containers having reinat least one open end, which comprises initially.

fastening tubular means to the open ends of an opposed axially aligned pair of shells, subjecting the open end zones of said pair to a necking operation to provide said pair with-necks', and subjecting the necks and tubular means to a severing operation to provide a pair of separated necked containers. y

2. The method of making high pressure metal containers from cylindrical'shells having open and closed ends respectively, which comprises initially fastening tubular means to the open end zones of an opposed axially aligned pair of shells, subjecting said tubular'means and zones to a diameter reducing operation to provide said pair with necks, and subjecting said necks and tubular means toa severing operation to provide a pair of separated necked containers.

3. The method of-making high pressure metal containers from cylindrical shells having open and closed ends respectively, which comprises initially fastening a tubular member in telescopic relation to the open end zones of an opposed axially aligned pair of shells to provide reinforced open end zones, subjecting said open end zones forced necks.

5. The method of making high pressure metal containers from cylindrical shells each having at least one open end, which comprises fastening tubular means to the open ends-of an opposed axially aligned pair of shells, subjecting the open end zones of said pair and said tubular means to a diameter reducing operation to provide said pair with necks, maintaining the other ends of said pair against movement away from each other during the diameter reducing operation to increase the thickness of the walls defining the necks, and subjecting the necks and tubular means to a severing operation to provide a pair of separated containers having necks 'of afgreater wall .thickness than the body of the containers.

6. The method of making high pressure metal containers from cylindrical shells each having at least one open end, which comprises fastening tubular means to the open ends of an opposedA axially aligned pair of shells, subjecting the open end zones of said pair and said tubular means to a diameter reducing operation While heated 'to provide said pair with necks, maintaining the other ends of said pair against movement away from each other during the diameter reducing operation and While heated to increase the thickness of the walls defining the necks, andsubjecting the necks and tubular means to a severing operation to provide a pair of separated containers having necks of a greater wall thickness than the body of the containers. DANIEL MAPES. 

